The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is the largest U.S. exchange program offering opportunities for students and young professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and primary and secondary school teaching worldwide. The program currently awards approximately 2,200 grants annually in all fields of study, and operates in more than 140 countries worldwide. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants for individually designed study/research projects and for English Teaching Assistant Programs, among other opportunities.

The English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) Programs place Fulbrighters in classrooms abroad to provide assistance to local English teachers. They help teach English while serving as cultural ambassadors for the U.S. The age and academic level of the students varies by country, ranging from kindergarten to university level. Applicants for ETA Programs can apply to only one country. Please consult the Fulbright website for details on specific country requirements and numbers of awards.

Eligibility

Important for GW students: All Fulbright applicants must meet with advisors within CUFR prior to submitting a Fulbright application. To set up an initial informational appointment to learn more about the application and endorsement process, please contact the Center for Undergraduate Fellowships at fellcent@gwu.edu.

Period of Study

Fulbright awards typically last for one academic year. The exact length and timing of the awards vary by individual country. For all awards Fulbright typically covers the cost of round-trip transportation to the host country, as well as housing and living expenses.

Special Considerations

Applicants for Fulbright research/study awards design their own projects and must secure permission to work with advisers at foreign universities or other institutes of higher education. The research/study awards are available in approximately 140 countries. Program requirements vary by country, so the first step is to become familiar with the program summary for the host country you intend to apply to.

For ETA awards, evidence of prior teaching and tutoring experience makes for a strong application; leading a team, coaching, counseling or other similar instructional or leadership activities can also be helpful. Coursework in education or English-as-a-second-language training is not required for most countries but can be advantageous.

For research/study awards, evidence of past coursework or research experience (during your undergraduate studies or through internships, employment, etc.) related to the host country/region and/or the proposed field of study is crucial. Prior study abroad in the proposed host country or region can be advantageous but is not required.

Application

All applicants must complete and submit their applications via the Fulbright Online Application. This is where you enter data, upload documents, and register your recommenders and foreign language evaluator. Applications include:

Biographical Data

Statement of Grant Purpose

Personal Statement

Recommendations

Transcripts

And for certain awards, will also include:

Letter of Affiliation (for study and research awards)

Foreign Language Forms

Critical Language Enhancement Award Statement

Deadline(s)

CUFR’s Fulbright advisors must receive drafts of a Fulbright Statement of Grant Purpose and the Personal Statement by August 1, 2019.

The GW nomination deadline is August 30, 2019 at 11:59pm.

The Fulbright national competition deadline is October 8, 2019 at 5:00pm EST.